Painted Strings
by Snowthistle
Summary: Meulin has the relationship she initially wanted with Kankri, but she knows he doesn't entirely reciprocate. Kurloz has returned after a three year absence only to check on his former lover and refuses to have much contact with her. Humanstuck.


_Once upon a time, there was a lioness, a crab, and a seagoat. The lioness loved the crab and the seagoat very much, but she didn't think it would hurt to give pieces of her heart away._

* * *

Chapter 1: The Lioness and The Crab

Dust motes floated through the sunshine streaming from the window. A young man of nineteen reclines against some pillows with a book in hand. His light green eyes scan the pages in front of him before drifting over to his sleeping companion. Dark brown, curly hair frames a sleeping face and cascades down her back and shoulders. Sometimes she likes to be scratched on the head like a cat, so the young man casually reaches over and lightly scratches her head. The sleeping girl yawns and opens her olive eyes, allowing them to adjust to the dimly lit room. She wonders if the head scratching is a true gesture of affection or if he's just being nice to her.

She would rather not think of the implications and merely rolls over to face him. His name is Kankri Vantas, and she, Meulin Leijon, harbors strong feelings for him. She is still unsure if he's being sincere about his affections for her. Now Kankri's attention is entirely focused on Meulin at the moment, and he marks his place in his book and places it on the nightstand. A blush creeps to his face as he realizes Meulin isn't wearing pants or shorts again receives a good look of her paw print underwear. He quickly averts his eyes and pulls the blanket over her waist, and she responds by stretching in a catlike manner.

"You should really put some pants on," he stated.

"You should really take your pants off," she countered.

"Meulin, we have not quite progressed that far in our relationship, and I do not think that-"

She cut him off," Kankri, I was only suggesting fur you to take off your pants and nothing else."

"Oh, that's what you meant? Well, I suppose that's not too bad, but the way you phrased it before seemed to be quite provocative."

"Taking off your pants is still puretty purrovocative," she purred.

He sighed," You're so silly, Meulin. You really should put on pants though. It's not appropriate for a young lady of your age to be wandering around pantsless, and who knows what could possibly happen to you? I will not allow you to be irresponsible with your choice of dress, and I certainly don't want to see-"

She cut him off with a kiss and pulled away," I do want I want Mr. Vantas."

She slid out of bed and walked to the kitchen, and Kankri could only sigh and lightly pinch the bridge of his nose. He still wasn't used to being in a relationship with this girl, but he didn't want to hurt her feelings again. He had hurt her before, and he did _not_ want a repeat of that train wreck. He had apologized for it profusely-mostly because his maternal best friend made him-, but Meulin probably wouldn't forget about it completely. She was so forgiving, and that surprised him a little. He slid out of bed and began to change into his normal clothes. Pots and pans clattered in the kitchen area as Meulin grabbed things to start making breakfast. Kankri made his way into the kitchen to see that Meulin was still pantsless and making breakfast.

There was no use in trying to convince her any further about bottom wear since she wouldn't change into her normal clothes until after breakfast. He asked her what he needed to start cooking, and she started him on scrambled eggs. Meulin began to fry bacon in a pan and hummed softly as she did. She seemed to be better about her loss of hearing after her best friend had assisted her with the problem. Of course Kankri would never bring up anything related to her hearing loss because he knew it would bring up bad memories and possible triggers. Meulin finished up with the bacon and brought it over to the table.

She smiled at him as he brought over the rest of the food and began to dig into her plate. Kankri observed the girl in front of him as she ate. Meulin was a fairly pretty girl, but he wasn't sure if he really liked her. She was much more energetic and upbeat than he was, and he told her multiple times to settle down. Perhaps it was just because he wasn't used to being in a relationship and especially one with a hyperactive, cat-loving girl. She was still nice and didn't bear any ill will towards him no matter how many times he protested and lectured her.

The truth was that he felt sorry for her after her relationship with her ex-boyfriend Kurloz ended. She didn't seem to show signs of being upset, but he could tell that anything related to Kurloz was a sore subject. Meulin was very good at hiding her emotions, but there were times where she would slip up and merely play it off as nothing. He wasn't sure whether that was her being strong or just afraid to show her feelings. She never had a problem with showing negative emotions before, but after her break up with Kurloz she refused to be angry or sad. Kankri took pity on her for her failed relationship, but he knew that wasn't the best reason to start a relationship with someone. He didn't want to hurt her feelings, however, so he decided to do his best and make the most out of their relationship. Being with Meulin wasn't all that bad, and he enjoyed her company after living with her for a little while.

Meulin finished up her breakfast and began cleaning her side of the table while Kankri finished up. She slid off her t-shirt as she walked back to her bedroom to change her clothes. Kankri blushed and wondered if she did the same thing when she was with her best friend Horuss and when she used to be with Kurloz. Even Porrim didn't do that considering the way she dressed, however, she did wear lingerie and frequently wore revealing dresses. Kankri shook his head and mentally scolded himself for thinking such brazen thoughts about the women he was close to. He would get nowhere in life thinking about such ridiculous things.

Meulin reappeared in the kitchen with her normal olive shirt with a black Leo sign, black long-sleeved, collared shirt underneath, black skirt, olive knee-highs, and black mary janes. She pranced over to Kankri and wrapped him in a tight hug, and he reciprocated it. Planting a quick kiss on his cheek, she sauntered off to the living room to watch TV for a little bit as she always did. He walked into the living room to join her. It was Animal Planet as usual, and her attention was gleefully fixed on the screen. He had to admit that she was pretty cute when she got excited, and it was a shame that he couldn't feel entirely flushed for her. Still, he would continue to do his best in making her happy and reciprocating her affectionate gestures as much as he could. Luckily, she knew when to stop and give him his space.

His arm casually slid around her waist, and she laid her head on his shoulder in response. Meulin sighed contentedly as she breathed in Kankri's scent. She rolled her tongue to produce a purring sound after a few minutes, and Kankri held her hand with his free hand. She enjoyed the feel of his hand around hers. It was a little larger than her hand, but it wasn't as large as Horuss' or Kurloz'. It still made her feel secure either way, and she reveled in being in a relationship with Kankri. She'd had a good relationship with Kurloz before the incident that made her deaf and even after that. For awhile she'd been hurt when she figured out that he'd manipulated her for some time, and she was a little nervous about being around him.

She decided to forgive him for that, but he decided to avoid any contact with her. Perhaps it was for her own good, but she missed seeing him around. At least Kankri was there for her and treated her with respect for once. He could be boring at times with his lectures and sometimes blamed her for things while lecturing her, but he was slowly working on it. He was actually sweeter than he was before and did his best not to ramble so much. She could tell he wasn't entirely flushed for her, but she focused on the fact that he was trying. A part of her hoped that one day he would be completely flushed for her, but she would be patient for now and be satisfied with her current relationship with him.

"Kankri, do you want to watch a movie?" She inquired.

"That's fine with me. What would you like to watch?"

"We should watch _Enchanted_!"

"You want to watch a Disney movie? Meulin, aren't you too old for such childish interests? Surely there must be some other mov-"

"Kankri, you are never too old for Disney movies! Please can we watch it?"

"Alright, I suppose we can watch it. It wouldn't do any harm to watch I guess."

"Yay!" Meulin stood from the couch and ran over to the video cabinet to find what she wanted.

Kankri could never understand some of the things she was interested in, but he decided to go along with it to make her happy. Meulin happily inserted the DVD into the player and hopped onto the couch enthusiastically to start the movie. Kankri jumped a little and had to make her settle down. He was glad to see her so excited, but she could be a bit much sometimes. She was a very energetic girl, and he still wasn't entirely used to that. Meulin pressed play and pulled a blanket over her and Kankri to get comfortable for movie watching.

Once the movie was over, Meulin went off to her bedroom for awhile like she always did. Kankri stood from the couch and went outside for a walk. It was a nice day, and he hadn't been on a walk in awhile. Maybe he should have asked for Meulin to come along. He shook his head and decided that he needed a little break from her enthusiastic personality. The sound of wheels on concrete approached him from behind. He continued to walk but stopped for a few moments as a long-haired skateboarder soared through the air in front of him; it was his former crush Latula Pyrope. Actually, he still had a little crush on her, but he was with Meulin now. Besides, she was still in a strong relationship of her own with a certain blonde. Said blonde came skateboarding past him and grinded on the rail before wavering and collapsing in a heap on the sidewalk.

Mituna Captor sat up mildly dazed, and Latula skateboarded back over to him. The blonde muttered a few expletives from his fall, and Kankri proceeded to watch the two interact for a bit. Latula planted a kiss on his cheek, and Mituna laughed and made a naughty comment about her. Kankri narrowed his eyes at Mituna's choice of words, but Latula didn't seem to mind and merely laughed it off. She seemed to take notice of Kankri and helped Mituna stand up. She lowered her bright red shades a little and revealed her pretty blue eyes.

"Is this Kankri I see?" She greeted.

He waved politely," Hello, Latula, it's nice to see you on this fine day. I see you're enjoying yourself with Mituna."

She nodded," Yeah we're skateboarding as usual," a mischievous grin appeared on her face," How's it going with Meulin?"

"It's been going pretty well. She is quite energetic, but it's good to know she's happy. Meulin enjoys being with me, and I've started to enjoy her company just as much. How are you?"

"I've been pretty well! Mituna and I have been hanging out as usual and skateboarding like we are right now. That's good to know that you're doing well with Meulin! She does seem much happier now that she's with you. Take care of her alright?"

Kankri nodded as the redhead departed with her boyfriend, but he still couldn't help feeling jealous. It was ridiculous that he still felt that way for her even though they had their respective relationships. He knew that he needed to find some way to be rid of his crush on her. With a sigh, he continued on his way down the sidewalk. Meulin was his girlfriend now, and he wasn't about to break it off with her just because of some stupid crush that he couldn't get over. To be honest, he felt that she deserved better than him or Kurloz, and he wanted to know why Kurloz broke up with her in the first place. The initial reason was obviously the incident that caused Meulin's deafness in the first place, but he never understood why Kurloz never returned to her. He seemed to have strong affections for her when they were in a relationship together. Surely he would have wanted to pursue Meulin again.

Even if he wasn't entirely in love with her, he had become closer to her as a friend and started to care about her. While she may have a carefree attitude and no worries, he knew there were some underlying emotions that she didn't want to show. He understood the reason for hiding her negativity, but for once he just wanted her to let it out. It wasn't healthy to keep it bottled up inside, and he feared that she didn't even get upset around her best friend. Meulin never showed any signs of being upset over anything, and he wondered if she had at least cried over her break up with Kurloz. She was indeed a strong young woman if she really wasn't upset about what happened, but he needed to know for sure.

Meanwhile, Meulin had locked herself in the bathroom and leaned over the sink muttering to herself that everything was okay. A few tears rolled down her cheeks, and she knew she couldn't hold it in much longer. Thank goodness Kankri had gone out on a walk because he didn't need to see her in such a vulnerable state. No one needed to. Since he wasn't home at the moment, she decided to relax herself a little and let her tears fall freely; Kurloz appeared in her dreams again last night. The break up had been hard to go through, but she tried not to let it get to her. However, it was difficult to forget about him completely when he kept showing up. She knew he just wanted them to be friends because he wanted to protect her. He had broken up with her shortly after the accident that made her deaf, but he became even more distant after she found out that he'd manipulated her for certain reasons because he wanted to keep her safe. She'd forgiven him for what he had done because she didn't feel any resentment towards him, and she knew he wouldn't hurt her again.

She sniffled and wiped away her tears because there was no need for her to be crying. Her olive eyes stared at her reflection in the mirror, and her lips immediately curved into a fake smile; she immediately wanted to throw up at the sight. This wasn't her at all. She wasn't a person who gave fake smiles, so she needed to try harder to crush her negative emotions. What she needed was a distraction, but she couldn't think of any at the moment. Perhaps she could go browse through blogs or something, but for once she wasn't in the mood to do so. Kankri would be a great distraction, but he wasn't home yet.

Meulin took time to compose herself and make sure that her eyes weren't irritated and puffy from crying. She didn't need him to worry over something as trivial as that. She was a happy, energetic girl, so Kankri would find it strange for her to be upset. After a few more minutes of forcing herself to smile, she walked out of the bathroom satisfied. It was nearly lunchtime, so she decided to start making something before Kankri came back. Hopefully they could do something fun together once he returned.

The door swung open as Meulin finished pouring tea, and Kankri peeked into the kitchen to see what she was up to; she flashed him a smile. It was a real smile this time because she was genuinely happy to see him again. She put down the teapot and ran over to give him a tight hug, and she could feel him shifting a little uncomfortably from her strong grip. She quickly released him and looked at him apologetically, but he merely sighed and patted her head. At times, she felt that he saw her as nothing more than a child, but she was glad he was still with her.

"Hello, Meulin, how are you?" He greeted.

"I'm fine! Did you enjoy your walk?"

He nodded," I did."

"That's great! I made lunch!"

"What did you make?"

"I just made a few sandwiches."

"That sounds good."

Kankri sat down, and Meulin sat across from him as usual. Kankri looked pleased as he took a bite out of his sandwich, and Meulin was delighted to see.

"Was everything okay while I was gone?"

"Yes, everything was fine," she lied.

"Alright, that's good to know."

Meulin smiled a little nervously and began to clean up the dishes. Kankri didn't seem to notice any change in her demeanor, and Meulin hoped it would stay that way. Once she finished, she eagerly pulled him into a kiss. The first time she'd done this, he'd lectured her about it, and she apologized for it. Somehow he sensed that she did it for a reason and changed his mind later on. She wasn't sure if he was being serious about changing his mind, but he assured her that it was okay. Occasionally he would do the same to her, and she accepted it gratefully. Deep down, however, he knew it wasn't him that she wanted, but he was perfectly fine with that.

He knew he was treading on a heavy subject that would definitely trigger some negative response from her, but he needed to know. He would need to ask her carefully and only once. If she responded, then he would listen and never bring it up again. If she avoided the question, then he wouldn't bother repeating himself. If she blew up in his face, then he knew he deserved it for asking such a stupid question. This contradicted his normal attempts to avoid triggering someone, but he needed to ask. Hopefully she would forgive him for this, but he was prepared to beg if necessary. It was less than appealing to think about something like that, and he knew it would be humiliating.

"Meulin, may I ask you something?"

"Of course you may!"

"I shall tell you beforehand that I understand how triggering this may be to you, but nonetheless I must inquire you of it anyways. Should you choose not to answer, then I shall have to deal with no response and carry on as usual. Should you choose to strike me across the face or in any such manner related to that, then I shall not put up a fuss because I understand that I overstepped my boundaries and said something offensive. Do not hesitate because I know I deserved it by asking the question I am about to ask you."

Meulin raised an eyebrow and giggled," Go ahead and ask me, Kankri. There's no way for me to react if you haven't even asked me the question."

"Do you still have feelings for Kurloz?"

Meulin's eyes widened and the color drained from her face; at least he warned her before asking.

"What are you talking about?" she asked nervously," I haven't seen Purrloz in such a long time! He doesn't even keep contact with me anymore, so how could I pawsibly still have feelings fur him?"

"Well, you could continue to have feelings for someone even if you didn't keep in contact with that person anymore. Wait, you don't even message each other?"

She grinned," No, we don't, but it's purrfectly fine! I don't want to annoy him or anything by sending him silly messages! I mean…that's why you didn't care much fur me the furst time that I had a crush on you."

Ouch, that hurt, but he knew he deserved it because of what he said to her the first time she confessed.

"I apologize once again for my rudeness. That could have been handled in a nicer way."

"It's okay now! I've furgiven you fur that already! You don't need to furry about that anymore."

Kankri nodded," Thank you, Meulin. I'm sorry for bringing up such a sore subject with you. I know you were very close to him."

She looked down and interlaced her fingers," It's alright, Kankri. I just wish he would at least tell me 'hi' or 'I'm sorry' or something to let me know how he's doing. I want to be able to let go of him and move on."

Kankri looked down as well," That is understandable. Again, I must apologize for bringing this up in the first place. I was curious, but I did not know how you were going to respond."

Meulin brightened up and slid her hands over to hold his," It's alright. It hurts to think about him, but I'll have to move on. I haven't seen him in so long, so he's probably moved on as well. I just want to thank you fur dating me."

He looked up to meet her gaze, and she looked at him with pure affection. For a moment, he was confused as to why she was looking at him like this when he knew she still had feelings for Kurloz, but he remembered that he'd had the privilege of being her first crush. Meulin's feelings from her previous crush on him probably lingered with him, so they were even stronger now that they were in a relationship together. Everything about their relationship seemed fake, however, and Kankri wasn't so confident that either one would be able to hold it together for long. Meulin gently squeezed his hands, and she stood to leave the table. A long time had gone by since Kankri initiated a kiss, so he stood and did so. Meulin was surprised that he did this, but she immediately melted into him. Soft humming rumbled out of her throat, and Kankri was pleased that he'd made her happy.

oOoOoOo

A dark-haired man sits on the windowsill inside his room and stares out into the city. He sighs as he recalls the reason why he left in the first place, but he doesn't regret his isolation. It was all for her safety because he knew he'd hurt her, and that was the last thing he wanted to do. Two times was enough to make him leave her behind, and he knew that would hurt her a third time. Surely she had moved on by now, and he wouldn't be surprised if she pursued Vantas. Perhaps he'd rid himself of that ridiculous vow of celibacy and taken up a relationship with his dear lioness. Yes, he would miss being a part of her life, but at least she would be safe from him. He was taking a huge risk by coming back to see her again, however, he would only be around to visit now and then.

Long, thin fingers traced his lips previously sewn together by black threads to keep him silent. It was a painful price to pay, but he needed to punish himself for injuring Meulin. Her best friend was kind enough to construct a new tongue for him; the Zahhaks were very talented with robotics. Even though he had a new tongue, he still didn't talk as much as he used to. Maybe it was due to being silent for so long, but he talked to himself in the mirror in order not to forget how to speak. His ears pricked at the sound of his phone buzzing, but he ignored it. It was only his brother messaging him, but he didn't care to see what he had to say. His relationship with the younger Makara was complicated because sometimes they were at each others' throats and sometimes not. Sometimes they would participate in verbal conversation- Gamzee did most of the talking, and sometimes they would participate in silent, intense staring.

The buzzing continued and slowly increased in speed until Kurloz reluctantly slid off the windowsill to see what Gamzee wanted this time. His eyes narrowed and a huge sigh expelled from his lungs as he read the ludicrous prattle from the younger Makara. Thirty-four messages of indigo alternating caps, honks, and clown smiley faces filled up the lock screen of his phone. He started out with the topic of his ex-girlfriend and immediately delved into utter nonsense. He hated Gamzee sometimes, to be honest, but not in a black way. It was more of an older sibling being irritated by the younger sibling hate. There was no point in ignoring him now if he was just going to continue spamming like this.

TC: HoNk :0)

TC: HEY KURLOZ.

TC: kurloz my bro.

TC: ANSWER YOUR PHONE NOW.

TC: answer it right now bro.

TC: I NEED YOU TO BE ANSWERING.

TC: are you brooding about your kittysis again?

TC: I THOUGHT YOU WOULD HAVE MOVED ON ALREADY.

TC: she's probably moved on from loving you too, kurloz.

TC: GET OFF THE WINDOWSILL AND ANSWER YOUR WONDERFUL LITTLE BROTHER.

TC: hey look i'm typing in stairs. this is entertaining me.

TC: I'M JUST TRYING TO MESS WITH YOU AND ATTEMPT TO MAKE CONVERSATION.

TC: HoNk.

TC: HoNk.

TC: :0)

TC: :0) HoNk.

TC: :0)

TC: :0)

TC: :0)

TC: :0)

TC: :0)

TC: :0)

TC: maybe you just lost your phone somewhere?

TC: YOU SHOULD REALLY BE MORE CAREFUL PUTTING YOUR PHONE ON SILENT BRO.

TC: big brother

TC: THAT SOUNDS REALLY WEIRD, BUT IT'S KIND OF COOL.

TC: i guess it's not that weird, but i don't normally call you that.

TC: ARE YOU JUST IGNORING ME?

TC: you've been tending to do that a lot lately.

TC: YOUR WARDROBE HAS CHANGED TOO.

TC: it's not just skeleton themed clothes anymore.

TC: YOU PRACTICALLY HAVE EVERYTHING PERTAINING TO UNDERNEATH THE EPIDERMIS ASIDE FROM INTERNAL ORGANS.

TC: well, you do have the heart. of course it's not the heart you would find on some love letter or whatever.

TC: KURLOZ?

WM: What is it this time?

TC: what took you so long to answer?

WM: I was pre-occupied with other pursuits.

TC: YOU WERE BROODING ABOUT MEULIN AGAIN WEREN'T YOU?

WM: I did No such thiNg.

TC: you're lying to me aren't you?

WM: I am Not.

TC: I KNEW IT. YOU WERE BROODING.

WM: You caNNot prove aNythiNg.

WM: I do Not uNderstaNd why you are so iNsisteNt with me supposedly broodiNg over my ex-matesprit.

TC: you're coming back to the city to see her again aren't you?

WM: Yes, but what does that have to do with your suspicioNs?

TC: I KNOW YOU STILL LOVE HER. IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS THAT YOU'RE STILL HEAD OVER HEELS FOR THAT KITTYSIS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A SHIPPER LIKE HER OR HER LITTLE SISTER TO FIGURE THAT OUT.

WM: You are gettiNg oN my Nerves agaiN. Cease aNd desist this irritatiNg behavior, or I'm turNiNg my phoNe off.

TC: i was right. you still have feelings for that kittylicious girl.

WM: I forbid you to coNtiNue speakiNg about MeuliN like that.

WM: This coNversatioN is over.

TC: ALRIGHT, I'LL STOP BOTHERING YOU. LIGHTEN UP ALREADY WILL YOU? SEE YA BRO :0)

Kurloz shook his head at the useless drivel from his occasionally irritating younger brother. He needed to go out for some fresh air and think about how he was going to see Meulin again. Sliding his phone into his pocket, he left his bedroom and headed downstairs. Gamzee lived somewhere else doing who knows what but occasionally popped in for a visit, but Kurloz recently moved into a three-story house and lived alone most of the time. His choice of decor was dark and creepy, and he kept the blinds shut most of the time. He kept the house near and tidy in comparison to his sloppier brother.

Summer was coming to an end, but the afternoons remained hot. The temperature cooled around eleven or so in the evening and continued into morning. Kurloz walked to his car and drove down the street. He drove around for a little bit before stopping near a park to send a quick text to Meulin's best friend, Horuss. It'd been awhile since he had talked to anyone, but he occasionally kept in contact with the steampunk-wearing man to keep tabs on Meulin. A thought suddenly dawned on him that he didn't know what to say to Meulin. The first thing she would notice would be the absence of his black threads , and she would wonder if he could talk to her again. Maybe seeing her again was a bad idea, but he wanted to visit her again after being gone for so long. He hoped that she missed him too and bore no ill-will towards him, but he would understand if she did; he had hurt her so much. It amazed him that she was so forgiving, and he couldn't understand it. Another problem was her little sister Nepeta, who was protective of Meulin as much as Meulin was protective of her.

The Leijon sisters were very protective of each other, and Nepeta could be especially feisty if provoked enough. She was pretty wary of him and Gamzee, especially considering their history with her and Meulin. Although she was afraid to be near Gamzee, she wasn't afraid to be around her sister's ex-boyfriend. She was more on the angry side with him for hurting Meulin but still intimidated by his creepy looks and tall form. He contemplated about visiting Nepeta first before Meulin in order to gain trust and approval. Of course he would not try to pursue a relationship with her again, but he wanted to remain friends with her.

Glancing down at his phone, he searched for the younger Leijon's name in his contact list. He'd asked her for her number in case Meulin was busy with something or had her hearing aids turned off. Upon finding her name, he tapped it and began messaging her. Once he was done, all he had to do was wait for her answer and hope she would let him come see her to inquire about Meulin. Nepeta was an important key to Meulin's happiness, so he knew that Meulin would be fine as long as she had her sister. Horuss was another key factor to her happiness, so Kurloz was unneeded. He knew that was just how things would have to be, and he was perfectly fine with that. He wasn't so sure he'd be able to deal with himself if he ever hurt Meulin again.

It was time to start walking around for a little while. Kurloz stepped out of the car and locked it before walking out of the parking lot and across the street into the city. People walked by on the sidewalk and casually chattered, but his thoughts eventually drowned out the sound. Cars honked their horns angrily at slow drivers or out of impatience. The quiet Makara continued to walk as the buildings became less crowded together. A simple ringing noise alerted him of a call, and he checked his phone to see who it was. Nepeta's name spread across the top of the screen, and he slid the arrow to answer.

"AC would just like to let you know that you've got a lot of nerve coming back to see her sister after three years," a young female voice rang out from the other side.

"WM would like to know if the lovely Miss Leijon could drop the role-playing for a little bit because he needs to speak with her about her sister," Kurloz requested.

"AC would just like to say...wow. It's been a long time since she's heard you speak."

"WM nods in acknowledgement and needs to speak about an important matter."

"Oh yes, sorry! What is it that you needed to talk to me about?"

"'I need to know how Meulin has fared in my absence."

"Well fur starters...SHE WAS AN ABSOLUTE WRECK WHEN YOU LEFT! I'VE NEVER SEEN HER CRY SO HARD IN MY LIFE. WHAT DID YOU _DO _TO HER TO MAKE HER CRY LIKE THAT?" Nepeta suddenly yelled into the phone.

Kurloz held the phone away from his ear until she was done shouting," I apologize for the hurt that I've caused her. I did nothing to her aside from explicitly stating that I did not wish to hurt her anymore and that I was leaving for a very long time."

"Three years is a long time, but it's not _that _long. Besides, I think you hurt her more by leaving than staying here."

"I couldn't stay here knowing all the horrible things I did to her."

"Then why did you come back if you didn't want to hurt her?"

"I wished to see her again and make sure that she's moved on without me."

"She's been doing okay I guess, and she's in a relationship with Kankri now. However, I don't think their relationship is going very well. I don't know if either of them have noticed, but their relationship isn't exactly solid. Sure Kankri has abandoned his vow of celibacy, but I feel like he only did it because he took pity on Meulin and saw through her happy facade. Meulin claims that she's renewed her old feelings fur Kankri, but she doesn't seem to be as in love with him as she was when she furst had a crush on him."

Kurloz fell silent for a few moments before responding," You do know that I cannot be with her again correct?"

"Why not?"

"I'll end up hurting her again."

"Kurloz, you've recognized that what you did to her was bad, but that doesn't mean you can't better yourself and not hurt her again."

"There isn't any point in arguing with me about it, Nepeta. I am sorry, but I have made my choice. I am only going to check on her every once in awhile, but I shall not interact with her."

"Bllllraaaaaawwwwwlllllrrrrghgghghgh! Adult relationships are so complickated, but I feel like you're just being stubborn fur no good reason or just not willing to try anything at all."

"Nepeta, I'm sorry, but I can't risk hurting her again."

"If you don't take any risks, then you're not going to get anywhere in life."

He sighed," I understand that. How have things been with Gamzee?"

"Ummm..."

"Well, I should re-phrase that. Has Gamzee been harassing you at all?"

"No, he hasn't, but I refuse to get anywhere near him. I mean I've furgiven him fur what he did, but it was really only so I could just let it go and not worry about it anymore."

"That's understandable. Well, if he does start harassing you, then do not be afraid to address me about it. I will deal with him for you."

"Do you really mean that?"

"I do mean it. You're one of the keys to Meulin's happiness, so I will do my best to protect that happiness."

"Wait, so if you hadn't been through a relationship with her, then you would care less about what happened to me?"

"Well, that would mainly be if I hadn't interacted with you. I wouldn't have known about you if it weren't for your sister, so how could I feel the need to protect others if I never knew about them or saw them?"

"I guess that's true. Is that all you needed?"

"If it's not too intrusive, may I ask where she is right now?"

"She's living with Kankri two neighborhoods away from ours. I'm sure you could find it if you can find my neighborhood as a reference."

"Why don't you just tell me the address?"

"That's as much as I'm helping you with your stalking adventures!"

With that being said, Nepeta hung up on him.

He narrowed his eyes at her childishness, "I am not stalking Meulin."

After some time, Kurloz asked around the neighborhoods to see if anyone knew where Meulin lived with Kankri. An old lady gave him the specific address, and he thanked her before looking for the house. Knowing it would be creepy for him to be looking into the windows, he texted Kankri beforehand to see if he could get him alone to talk to. He walked over to the end of the street in order to stay hidden because he didn't want Meulin to see if she was home. A few moments later, the sweater-wearing Vantas stepped out of the house and began walking towards him; he still did not understand what attracted Meulin to this guy. Kankri stopped a few feet away from Kurloz and crosses his arms casually.

"It's been awhile since you've been here hasn't it? You are here to inquire about Meulin aren't you? Well, you certainly have some nerve in showing yourself around here after three years. She doesn't show it explicitly, but I can tell that Meulin's been hurting the entire time that you've been absent. I am sure you have your reasons for doing so, but I am sure it had a negative effect on her even if she refuses to let it show through her facade."

Kurloz stood before him and a blank, intimidating smile bloomed on his face. Kankri looked momentarily confused and visibly uncomfortable. The tall brunette enjoyed making the shorter ginger squirm under his discomforting gaze. He really did not like Kankri, but he would have to deal with him since the ginger was currently making Meulin happy. Of course that didn't stop him from enjoying himself as he towered over the freckled man and grinned in creepy silence. His skeletal makeup assisted in the creepiness and was even creepier when he had his mouth stitched. Kankri's eyes darted to the ground and he slouched under Kurloz' terrifying gaze.

"How is Meulin faring?"

"Sh-she's alright. She went upstairs already, so she's not coming out here anytime soon," Kankri informed him.

"That's good to know. Are you making her happy?"

"I'm doing my best, but sometimes I have no idea what goes on in her head. She's got really strange habits. Sometimes she's really hyper, and that's a bit much for me to handle. I guess I can deal with it or something," Kankri sighed.

Kurloz grinned once again and lifted up Kankri by the front of his red sweater.

"You had better deal with it 'or something', Vantas, or I will not hesitate to hurt you. I don't know what you're doing by being Meulin's boyfriend, but I will break your legs if you break her heart," Kurloz growled.

"N-no worries Horuss already has that covered."

"Then I will not hesitate to break your ribs and decorate my house with them," Kurloz hissed.

Kankri nodded his head and gulped audibly," I promise not to break her heart."

"That is good to hear. See to it that you take care to follow through with your promise, or I will follow through with _my_ promise."

Kurloz promptly dropped Kankri in a heap on the warm asphalt and left the neighborhood. He completed his task and could now live in peace. He knew that he might see Meulin sometimes, but he would do his best to avoid her for her safety. At the moment, he would continue to live in solitude with the occasional intrusion of his younger brother and only observe Meulin from afar if he ever saw her while he was out. Kankri picked himself off the road and wiped off the dirt accumulating on his sweater. He waited until Kurloz was completely out of sight and half a minute more before returning to the house. Every meeting with that Makara was a disaster for Kankri, and he had to wonder what Meulin ever saw in him. He supposed it wasn't really his business, but he couldn't help thinking about it from time to time.

Kankri made it upstairs to see Meulin walking into the bathroom in the nude. His face turned red, and he quickly found interest in a particular spot on the wall. She certainly had no qualms sometimes, and he wished she would be a little bit more modest. Did she do this all the time when she was with Kurloz? Did Horuss ever see her like this? Did her younger sister Nepeta behave in the same way? Perhaps it was a Leijon sister thing; however, he couldn't assume such things about the two. At least her back was turned, and he hadn't seen anymore of the curly-haired cat lover.

He began taking off his own clothes and grabbed his pajama pants. Meulin would be awhile, so he grabbed the book from earlier this morning and sat on the bed with it in his boxers. It was quite an invigorating read, and he enjoyed perusing the text. What an enticing piece of literature that Aranea, a friend of his and Meulin's but not very close, had recommended for him, and he was halfway through the book already. After some time, the water turned off and quiet sounds came from the bathroom as Kankri heard Meulin drying off and putting on her clothes. The doorknob rattled and slowly swung open to reveal a smiling Meulin with her hair wrapped in a towel. She walked over to the bed and sat down excitedly, and Kankri greeted her with a nod of his head before heading into the bathroom himself.

Kankri walked out of the bathroom to find Meulin brushing her damp hair, and he walked into the closet to toss his clothes into the hamper. He walked over to the bed and crawled underneath the covers to read until he fell asleep, and Meulin sprayed him a few times as she brushed out her tangles. She blushed and apologized after doing so, but he told her it was not a problem. She crawled underneath the covers beside him and grabbed her laptop to browse through blogs until her lids grew heavy. Two hours passed as the sky grew darker and the moon rose into the sky. Kankri marked his spot and closed his book and saw Meulin was nodding off. He reached over and bookmarked whatever website she was on and turned off her laptop. She jumped awake and put her laptop away before pulling Kankri into a tight hug and closing her eyes. He closed his green eyes and sighed as Meulin drifted off to sleep; her hair was slightly damp.

* * *

I was working on this instead of Sunflower Tea because I was stuck on Chapter 10, but now I can begin that!

Notes:

-I am _so_ very creative with Kurloz' typing quirk

- Kurloz' chumhandle is wordlessMute (unless I can think of an alternative).

-Kankri is somewhat improving his behavior and interactions (via Porrim) but is making slow progress.

-That whole "blawwrghll" Nepeta said is directly from canon.

-This is not set after Sburb or anything but has nods to some canon events.


End file.
